


two wonder

by eymelee



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Coffee - Freeform, Other, all legends mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:41:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27264424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eymelee/pseuds/eymelee
Summary: Loth always rises in the dark.
Relationships: Bloodhound/ Original Character, Bloodhound/Revenant (Apex Legends)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	two wonder

Loth always rises in the dark. 

His quarters have no windows per his request and the light only comes from weak LEDs that he rarely flicks on. He stands from his bed and strolls into the adjacent bathroom with purpose, taking time to count the items placed on the edges of the sink. Each is to be picked in a clear, pre-established order: razor, toothbrush, comb. His grooming routine lasts ten minutes on the dot, the next ten being reserved for carefully dressing up and attaching the multitude of gear he uses on a day to day basis. 

It’s five to seven when Loth Newman’s pressurized door slides open, his tall, well-built frame stepping out, right-foot first. 

The communal kitchen space is unlit and devoid of life, with only a flat TV mounted on the wall illuminating the appliances. Its sound is muted but Loth halts and takes the time to read the ticker and other bold text scattered on the screen. It all reports the same: his and his teammates’ amazing win in the Games from the previous day paired with an exclusive interview he gave afterwards. He’s named MVP of the season and Loth watches himself on television accepting the award, offering a charming smile as he tucks a lock of blond hair behind his ear. He slightly arches his spine at the image, humming contentedly. 

He begins the preparation of a variety of mugs and cups, getting coffee, tea and hot cocoa ready for the people that will crowd the kitchen soon enough. He handles every drink with profound care and mixes in different ingredients into each of them, giving them an identity. Once all is ready, Loth places the beverages on the metallic counter set in the middle which serves as a dinner table and gives them a chance to cool down. 

He’s done drying his hands on a spotless napkin when light footfalls resound from down the hall. Wraith makes her way into the room, pausing in the doorway. She squints her eyes at Loth, or at the shape of him against the light of the TV. Tentatively, she reaches for the nearby light switch and flips it on. 

“Good morning, Renee, I hope you’ve had a restful sleep,” he inquires, then pauses, taking in the puffiness from under her eyes, “and if not, I hope this will help you endure today’s chores.”

The man gestures at the simple purple mug, still steaming. Renee blinks rapidly, then furrows her brow. She’s still standing in the doorway and Loth hopes that his confident smile is inviting enough for the Legend to venture inside. 

She steps forward eventually, suspicion in her every move, and wraps a hand around her designated mug, quietly sniffing its contents. She leans on the table and her eyes close in what Loth hopes is satisfaction at the perfect mix of coffee, cream and sugar. The television is done talking about Loth sadly, instead, showcasing a top of the best and most violent moments of yesterday’s games but since it’s replaying a beautifully executed dive in the enemy team, the man doesn’t mind it as much. 

“Renee, I must say, the way you covered for me here was brilliantly executed,” Loth nods towards the TV. “Our adversaries must have forgotten you were there, with the way I’ve been keeping them distracted. Honestly, I am eager for the next time we will be paired.”

Loth thinks he hears a rumble in response but otherwise, he’s just met with silence. 

He tries not to let it get to him. That’s how Renee is, quiet and not in the mood for small talk, with anyone. The blond turns his back at her and takes to scrubbing the counter, and if he is more forceful than usual, his silent companion doesn’t say anything. He isn’t smiling anymore by the time he’s done tidying up and Wraith places a now empty mug into the sink. She makes to leave but pauses in the doorway, turned away from him.

“Thanks for the coffee, it’s exactly how I like it.” 

She’s gone before Loth can say anything. A shiver runs down his spine, and the gratitude, oh the sweet gratitude rolls over his pumping heart. He permits himself a couple of deep breaths before moving to wash the discarded cup.

The rest of the morning to lunchtime goes by in a similar fashion. Loth busies himself around the kitchen, greeting the resident Legends with their favorite beverages. He chats with Makoa and Octavio, offers Path a satisfying high-five, and refills Dr. Alexander’s mug twice. He slides over some morning rations to Ajay, salutes Natalie in her native language, to which she confusedly responds and catches Eliott by the bicep when the latter stumbles on his own feet. 

He’s thanked multiple times for his generosity and kindness. Anita pats him strongly on the back and Ramya drops a wrapped piece of candy in his pocket, giving him a thumbs-up. Crypto doesn’t say much, but nods in his way as he picks up his citron tea. Loth relishes each individual interaction, leaving him all giddy. 

He’s passing a fourth cup of black coffee to Dr. Alexander when he notices Loba in the doorway, similar body language to Renee earlier in the day. Her braids are slightly more disheveled and she’s completely frozen on spot but Loth tries to lure her in anyway.

“It’s a tad late for a ‘good morning’ but how about you try this delicious drink I’ve prepared for you, Loba?” he calls out from next to the coffee machine. 

For a few moments, a storm of emotions flickers in the girl’s eyes but eventually, her expression settles on some anguished face that Loth has trouble identifying. Whatever conclusion her mind comes to is put into barely audible words as she abruptly turns and marches back into the hallway. Loth thinks he hears something along the lines of “fuck this shit, I can’t do it” but the sound of her heels clicking away overpower her voice.

Dr. Alexander snorts at his failed attempt and Loth feels himself getting warmer. It’s not the first time the thief girl has been giving him the cold shoulder, despite his repeated, careful efforts. Plus, it makes him appear bad in front of the others and that is something he absolutely detests. With prompt movements, Loth picks up the girl’s drink, pours it down the drain, and rinses the mug. 

“It seems as if she has irritated you greatly,” Dr. Alexander says, standing from the table.

“Quite so,” Loth absently responds, rubbing a washcloth into the cup. “She treats me as if I’ve wronged her whole family. Not entirely sure why.”

The older man cackles madly as he exits the communal kitchen. 

-

Loth seethes for the rest of the day, not after attempting to engage Loba in two other discussions during dinnertime. Both were unsuccessful, one of them ending up with the girl slamming her cutlery on the polished table with a loud clank and cordially telling him to fuck off. In reaction, the blonde slammed his own on the edge of the surface, bending the metal spoon so much that Makoa had trouble straightening it properly. He rushed out of the kitchen then, walking the hallway opposite of where Loba had gone, dragging his sack of resentment into Bloodhound’s quarters.

Since then, he’s been helping the hunter with an array of tasks, from polishing different knives to helping feed Artur’s most recent brood. Five squawking balls of black fluff are currently demanding their dinner from their birdsitters, Artur herself off somewhere in the ship causing trouble for the local automatons, namely Pathfinder. A riled-up Loth eventually voices his feelings over the raven’s neglect of her newborns.

“It’s normal behavior for her to find the necessary food for her young. Plus, it means she trusts you and myself well enough to look after them while she’s off,” Bloodhound chuckles at his indignation. Loth supposes they are right but it doesn’t make it feel any better. 

Instead, he accepts the filled syringe from the other, squeezing a little of its contents into each of the five expecting open mouths. The baby birds make horrendous, gaggling sounds as they are fed but since Hound assures him he’s doing it properly, Loth finishes the job without any incidents. He places the wooden cover over the handcrafted nest and stands, stretching his aching shoulders. 

He feels Bloodhound more than hears them when the other comes from behind him and firmly places their barren hand on his nape. It’s all but divine, that single point of contact relaxing Loth better than a thousand scalding showers ever could. His collected frustrations seem to melt away, leaving him in such a pleasantly pristine way. Hound steers him into sitting once more and takes to giving him a massage, their deft fingers rubbing his shoulders’ tense points. Loth lets out a drawn-out hum from the back of his throat, leaning into the touch. 

When the impromptu massage comes to an end, but before Bloodhound can retract their hands, Loth grabs the hunter by their wrists and pulls them until their arms are loosely hugging him, their front flush to his back. He connects his hands with his masseur’s and takes to kissing each of their scarred knuckles from between his own digits, further dragging his lips to the tender skin of their palms, each peck packed with the immense gratitude he feels for his companion. Bloodhound giggles in response to the sudden affection and drops their head on top of Loth’s, cuddling him as much as they can. 

“Why the fuck does she treat me so bad,” he spits the words out before he can even think them through. “I’ve been nothing, and I mean it, nothing but kind and pleasant to her and I still see the disgust on her face every time we see each other.”

Bloodhound inhales long and deep and Loth feels his lower lip quivering.

“We cannot be liked by everyone, _dýrr_ , you know this,” they say, raising their head from their previous position. The blonde longs to hold onto their hands a little while longer, but something else erupts from within.

“Yes I can!” he spins around and shoves Hound away from him. “I’ve been doing my fucking best and already most of the Legends like and respect me besides goddamn Loba. It’s just her that I can’t seem to reach and I’m honestly at my wits’ end on what to do.” 

Loth hears his teeth clattering behind his clamped mouth but strangely enough, he cannot feel them. There are waves of anger and frustration and embarrassment and resentment that keep hitting him one after the other without stopping and there’s more coming from inside. His eyes shut tightly when he feels the ripples of fear advancing on him. He doesn’t want to look at Bloodhound, doesn’t want the other to call him out on what obviously is another of his episodes. It’s despicable, but sunken in those waters he stirred up, Loth feels good, his mind finally clear. Why does he want Loba to like him so much, when he has Hound and all the other Legends indulging him daily? Why is he so stuck up on…

“Loba has to like me. I need her to like me. Don’t you see it? If she doesn’t, then…”

“Then she won’t help you?” 

Loth opens his eyes at that, feeling like something short-circuited in his brain. He registers the feeling of tears rolling down his cheeks but he can’t tell why. Bloodhound doesn’t move, their posture giving off nothing but the warmness they usually bathe him in. The blond man is torn between apologizing for his outburst or just hurling himself at the other in another hug that will solve everything. 

None of that happens. Instead, behind his partner, in the darkened windows of the room, Loth watches his own reflection. It’s him, as he saw himself on TV this morning, all smiling and cheeky except it’s odd. There are no tears in his eyes and he’s been bawling just now. His hand jumps to his cheek but there’s no wetness there. There’s nothing but cold, hard steel.

“Have you returned?” Bloodhound whispers in the space between them, his eyes jumping to his partner. He gives them a grunt in affirmation and the hunter nods back, moving away to turn off the oil-lamp placed on their desk. When its light is put out, so is Loth Newman.

Instead, Revenant rises in the dark.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah idk this whole AU developed in my head that when Loba shot at the source code, some things got damaged and Revenant ends up slipping into his old selves sometimes. Just needed to get a fragment of it out of my system to test the waters.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
